SPOKANE - With a major wildfire burning close by, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) today closed its boat ramp at Fish Trap Lake so firefighters can fill their tanker trucks to fight the blaze near Cheney.

The ramp closure is effective immediately, and is expected to continue through Monday, July 28, said Kevin Robinette, regional WDFW wildlife manager.

Aerial tankers will also be taking water from the lake to fight the fire, Robinette said.

"In a situation like this, we need to give firefighting crews everything they need to do their job," said Robinette, noting that an official from the Interagency Command contacted him early today.

The Watermelon Hill Fire has burned about 11,000 acres of rangeland near Cheney since last Saturday. About 300 firefighters are making progress on the fire, which is estimated to be 40 percent contained.